'The Homecoming' Documents the Trials of Living with an Incarcerated Family Member

Paulina Bugembe and Gabrielle Shepard are filmmakers who are joining forces to direct and produce The Homecoming. The film is the story of Andy, a Black woman who is faced with the struggles that come with having a brother (Jackson) who is in and out of prison. “Andy wants nothing more than her family to come together and be her ideal version of happy,” said the filmmakers on their GoFundMe page. “When the family refuses to get on board for Jackson's coming home party from prison, she decides to make it happen on her own while dragging her family kicking and screaming along the way.”

Bugembe, director of the film, shares her personal ties to the main character’s story. “My brother has been in and out of prison for ten years. My family has been dealing with what that means for just as long,” she said in her director’s statement. Between her lived experiences and learning that 1 in 34 adult US citizens were under some form of correctional supervision, Bugembe decided to make a film that people with similar situations could relate to. “There are so many films told from the perspective of those who have gone to prison; I wanted to give a voice to their families and the lasting effect that it leaves on their lives.”

Learn more about the film on their website and contribute to making the film a reality by contributing on their GoFundMe.

Photo: The Homecoming StaffDeonna Anderson is Junior Editor at For Harriet. Follow her on Twitter @iamDEONNA.